Ryan Deiss (DigitalMarketer, Scalable.co) joins Matt to talk about why he killed an eight-figure course business, the 80% sales drop that forced the pivot, why AI is replacing courses faster than anyone wants to admit, and how to actually monetize expertise in a post-course world.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 Intro
- 00:28 Why Ryan "Retired" From DigitalMarketer
- 03:32 The Real Reason Course Sales Collapsed
- 06:37 Why AI Beats Courses Every Time
- 11:54 DigitalMarketer's 80% Revenue Drop
- 13:05 Why "Course Business" Is the Wrong Frame
- 16:53 Build Your Own Media First
- 21:19 The 4 Ways Media Companies Make Money
- 22:23 Sell AI Trained on Your IP, Not the Course
- 28:23 Why Coaching On Top of Courses Won't Save You 3
- 3:12 The Truth About Cohort-Based Programs
- 35:14 The 3 Event Business Models
- 41:36 Sponsorships, Exhibitors & Critical Mass
- 48:07 Sponsorship Tiers and Protecting the Stage
- 58:00 Activations, Meetups & Sponsored Experiences
- 1:02:28 Where to Find Ryan
📌 Resources:
🔗 Connect with Ryan Deiss:
